Headlines from Traffic Management Advisory Committee (5th July 2017)

Thank you to everyone for such a positive response to the Council’s traffic survey, for coming along to the Council chamber and for sharing personal experiences to bring the impact of the Lebanon Road changes to life for the committee members – together we made a difference.

The Committee met to hear the results from the Informal Consultation and unanimously agreed to take forward Croydon Council’s recommendation to make both Addiscombe Court Road and Canning Road, exit only onto Addiscombe Road.

There was a great show of support from the gallery overlooking the main Council chamber. We finally heard a formal apology for the impact of the Lebanon Road decision on our lives, from our elected representative and also the chair of the committee.

Residents and Associations spoke for and against with support from our Councillors. Hearing from residents first hand had a huge impact on the committee and really brought the problems being experienced to life.

Next step – 21-day statutory consultation with public notices and engagement of key bodies, like the Fire and Ambulance services. Assuming no “show stopping” objections, the changes to the roads are to be put in place as soon as possible to address public safety risks. If needed an emergency TMAC meeting could be held.

Notes from the Address to the Committee from our Chair

Thank you for the opportunity to speak in support of these recommendations and for recognising that a problem (a 3-400% increase in traffic) has resulted from the decision on Lebanon Road: a problem that needs to be resolved.

And thank you for responding positively to our resident’s petition requesting:

Short term action to return our roads to pre-change levels of traffic –

Options be discussed openly and fully with ALL residents in the surrounding area – we welcome the wider consultation that’s taken place – not wanting to treat others as we have been

Looking at the results – the very high response rates (ACR – 67%/ Tunstall – 49%) and large majority voting yes (ACR – 81%/ Tunstall – 56%) demonstrate the strength of feeling and the intolerable impact on lives – residents are willing to accept further restrictions to already restricted roads – we have an internal one-way system

In going door-to-door to hear the views of our neighbours we heard this strength of feeling first hand (both for and against) and the consequences on people’s lives, as you have heard first hand from residents

There remains a high level of frustration and anger with original decision and absence of apology for the past 18 months

A mother at lower end of ACR with cars queuing outside her home every evening and disturbing her baby’s sleep – it’s unacceptable

Hearing someone say ‘my child is terrified of crossing the road’

The tram stop – so many near misses

There has been an increase in accidents in surrounding street (FOI request) especially Tunstall – perhaps the result of drivers ignoring the one-way restrictions in this road as they avoid queues in ACR

Also a majority of our neighbours don’t want to do to Canning Road what was done to us – it’s great to live in roads that think of others as well as themselves

It would be good to hear what happens next, the timeline and plans for effective monitoring of the impact – understanding the consequences for traffic flows will be key – 4 days of data may not be enough to really understand what happens.

We ask that:

Beyond addressing the immediate need (it’s been 18 months) – you commit to continue to work to find a solution that is better for ALL rather than these piecemeal ones, however challenging and potentially costly they may be – ones that also address the medium to longer term consequences of the developments in central Croydon

Above all you to reach a decision tonight that addresses the urgent need for a solution before the ‘accident waiting to happen’ occurs; a decision that reinstates the quality of our lives

Thank you for listening and for the continuing support from our ward Councillors.